Live Review: New Found Glory with Leanna Firestone at The Town Hall

New York City – 18 March 2023

We’ll Never Take This Thing For Granted

High energy acts in an acoustic setting is an uncomfortable situation.  Even though I’d heard and loved the Make Most Of It record and knew the acoustic tour was on its way, I had no idea what to actually expect when one of the most energetic, pogoing acts of the corporate Warped Tour era unplugged and took the stage.  Pop-punk legends New Found Glory hit The Town Hall on the NY stop of the “Make The Most Of It” acoustic tour and quelled all my concerns.  

The band celebrated the tour’s namesake record and a long history of hits.  Few tour titles are as spot-on as this, the band and those of us lucky enough to attend, were more than happy to make the most out of this unique experience.  

Opening up the night was singer-songwriter Leanna Firestone.  The relative newcomer (at least to my knowledge) set the tone with a soft and sultry saunter, songs of love gone wrong and adulting gone worse.  There was no need for mosh pits and gang vocals because the engagement she created with the fans was an experience as cathartic as a proper circle pit.

Firestone is guaranteed a bright future, having no problem winning over an unfamiliar crowd with her affability, humor and charisma. She hadn’t fully left the wings on the stage before I was posting on the ‘gram about what a delight she was. If I were to tell you that Leanna Firestone was fucking fantastic and put on the most endearing show I’ve seen so far this year, it would still be underselling. Her songs of heartbreak and introspection crafted a flawless appetizer to what NFG brings to the table.

New Found Glory took the stage sans lead guitarist Chad Gilbert’s, as he is undergoing cancer treatments. In his place was Four Year Strong‘s Dan O’Connor, a well-respected and super talented placeholder, who understood his role on the tour and never tried to upstage the band, or Chad’s absence.  The second guitarist slot was also a surprising musician as drummer Cyrus Bolooki pulled up a trio of stools, alternating between rhythm guitar, keys and behind the kit we are all accustomed to seeing him at.

Despite a wonky lineup and out-of-character concept, the passion and energy of New Found Glory did not waiver.  Sure, Town Hall has seats, and we were all assigned a place to take a load off, but from the opening strum of “Get Me Home” until the final bar of “Dream Born Again,” the majority was on their feet, engaging, dancing and singing along as strong, loud and proud as we have for the last 25 years.

The setlist swung effortlessly between old-school favorites like “Hit or Miss” to the newest singles, such as “Mouth to Mouth” and everything in between.  With 20-plus times seeing NFG, and a 25 year old catalog, it was refreshing to see each song presented in a new manner.  The crowd was beyond into it, the energy was evident and the passion was herculean, so much so, that lead singer Jordan Pundik joked that the crowd needs to open “open this shit up” during the performance of “My Friends Over You” and the only thing that prevented it were the strong bolts in the seats of the historic theater. 

Somehow by taking things away and performing in an acoustic setting, New Found Glory managed to bring more to the table than most acts can do in a full band setting.  After the 90 minute set closed out, the crowd was purged of the long term angst we’ve carried with us that keeps us constantly coming back to New Found Glory where we can make the most of it.